Dreaming of spring

It’s very, very cold in our part of the world this week so to warm myself up, I went searching for spring inspiration in my favourite online fabric stores.

This is what I found:

Blooms, trees and leaves. Which one is your favourite?

I can see lots of groovy lounge pants and mini-pinnies in this lineup. What do you think?

I think the spring Bloombub collection will focus on Garden Party Dresses, Mini-Pinnies and unisex singlet/ lounge pant sets. I’m happy to make other items on a custom order basis, but these three are Bloombub’s signature garments, so we’re going to stick with them for now.

Leave a comment to tell me which of these fabrics inspires you (or if you’d like to order an early slice of spring for your bub).

Comfort sewing

This week we have all been afflicted with colds, flus, and for poor Little C, pneumonia. So needless to say, it’s been pretty quiet around the house.

Today I took some leave from my day job and spent the day relaxing at home. While relaxing and sniffling, my creative fingers got a bit itchy and I found myself trying out one of the Mani Mina patterns I treated myself to from Etsy a few weeks ago.

The first dress off the machine was this red linen beauty, as modelled by an unusually enthusiastic toddler. She actually WANTED to wear the dress as soon as I showed it to her – almost unheard of. There’s usually substantial coaxing required for her to put on any on my dresses, but some reason this one took her fancy. So much so, I can’t get it off her to sew the final embellishment, a cute cat button from Buttons by Lou Lou. Oh well, tomorrow night’s task!

The dress is from the Summer Everyday pattern, though I lengthened the sleeves and cropped the length of the dress to make it suitable for Lil C to wear with layers in winter. The pattern is really easy to make – I was done in less than two hours (except the button, of course). I am planning to add a bit of Bloombub flair to it, and will be crocheting some cream coloured cotton lace to trim the sleeves and hemline.

When a pattern is so easy, and the finished product so well received, why stop at one?!

This beautiful Cosmo fabric has been sitting in my stash for some time now – I believe it came from my first purchase at Retro Mummy (these groovy pants were also from that parcel).

Miss G admired the fabric, but I was unable to entice Lil C to remove the red dress to try this one on. I took a few extra artistic licenses with this version. Only the back is elasticated, so as not to gather the beautiful print at the front, and the sleeves got even longer and we made a little ‘bell-style’ elastic feature as well to keep the cuffs from flapping about in the breeze (or getting dipped in food, which is far more likely).

I’m contemplating whether to add some black ribbon or white broderie to the edges to cover the overlocking. Maybe I’m just a bit lazy this week and won’t bother.We’ll have to see which dress Lil C chooses to wear to Daddy’s birthday celebrations on Saturday.

If you like the look of the Summer Everyday dress, but are not of the sewing type (or just too lazy), you might like to take a look at these local designers:

MyOneBrownMouse’s Kinder Dress, or

MonPetitPoppet’s Smock Dresses and A-Line blouses. MonPetitPoppet is a local Brisbane mum too, and has just been featured on the Matilda’s Market blog.

Now that I’ve had such success with the Summer Everyday pattern,  I might give the other two Mani Mina patterns a try – the Reversible Kimono Dress (I am repurposing some beautiful purple wool for that one, just need to find a nice print for the lining); and the Round Collar Dress (but maybe that will wait for some spring inspiration…). I also covet the French Ruffle dress… but I think that’s for a slightly older child to appreciate.

Mani Mina e-patterns. Available from Etsy.com

Happy dressmaking!

Baby boom

I seem to be surrounded by friends with babies – pending or recently arrived – so the fabric, wool and creative juices are flowing with speed.

I’m also eagerly awaiting my first overlocking lesson this week, so I can finish off a dress for myself, a nightdress for the teenager, and hem a new prototype pinafore dress I fashioned up from three different pattern pieces joined together (it actually works – not looking wonky at all!).

More Origami singlets are also in the works – I found another goldfish today, and have to re-locate the turtle for a non-gender-specific baby due in a few weeks.. turtles are unisex, right? I also found a sweet butterfly and love heart origami pattern, and completely fluked a crochet sausage dog while trying to make a crochet goldfish.. clearly I had tension issues…. it’s cute nonetheless.

Lil C is also about to move into her own bedroom … hoorah! After nearly 20 months sharing with us, we are all well and truly ready for our own rooms. I have this fabric waiting for some bedroom decoration – I can’t decide whether to do cushions or a wall tile – and I want to re-use Claire’s old swaddling wraps to make a summer weight quilt. So much to do! Just as well I’m on holidays for two weeks!

French Kisses

Here’s a twin set of a different kind – coordinating Mummy and Baby dresses (although I think it would be too much for us both to wear them out at the same time).

I love the cute little print, scored from the remnant bin at Gardams. Little kisses are so sweet!

I think a pair of bloomers may be required in a coordinating fabric, perhaps with Kissy cuffs or ruffles… watch this space.

Mum's dress

Baby's pinafore